Each day a different image or photograph is featured, with an
accompanying caption, which deals with various topics in Earth Science.

A Partial Solar Eclipse for Christmas

Residents of North America received an astronomical present on Christmas morning - a partial eclipse of the sun, the first partial solar eclipse visible from North America on Christmas Day since 1628. In the Northeastern United States, where 50 to 60 percent of the Sun was covered by the Moon, most people had clear skies. The photo above comes from Eric Pauer of Brookline, NH who provided a live webcast of the event. The next North American total solar eclipse will happen on August 21, 2017, and the next solar eclipse on a December 25 occurs in 2307, visible off the west coast of Africa.